Ancient Akrotiri: A Remote Haven in Santorini, Greece

Everyone has known Santorini as a favorite summer destination where parties, weddings, and holidays are spent by thousands of tourists every year. Little did we know, aside from the cosmopolitan villages of Fira and Oia, Santorini takes pride in one of the most beautiful and remote towns on the island, the Ancient Akrotiri.

The Akrotiri village in Santorini, Greece

Santorini, being an active volcano island, sure had a history of a powerful and massive volcanic eruption. This caused the center of Thira (old Santorini) to shrunk leaving a lagoon sea of water which is the Caldera. Now that you’ve heard about the history of Santorini’s topography, let’s check out the remote town we were talking about earlier. Akrotiri is one of the most important (and the coolest!) archeological sites one can visit in Santorini. Despite the repeated incidence of volcanic activity in the past thousands of years, Akrotiri’s ruins and the safe haven left behind by the disaster is still well-preserved.

Where is Akrotiri?
It is located in Thera or the old town of Santorini. Today, many visitors pass by the village to take photos of the place and of course, to have their next-level selfie at the ancient village. Yet, not many travelers stay here for the sake of uncovering facts and late stories about the town, about the island.

What to see and do in Akrotiri?
Here’s one thing you can do in Akrotiri for free. Go time travel! Akrotiri showcases a collection of traditional houses and buildings that were all covered with volcanic materials. Many archeologists have shown their interest and passion of the island’s history. They devote their time to making sure that Akrotiri gets the love it deserves in the form of maintenance and caring of its structures.

The ancient Akrotiri in Santorini, Greece

Some of the buildings that you will see in Akrotiri are the following:
Xeste 3: A seated Goddess
Antelope Wall Fresco
House of the Ladies: Papyrus Fresco
Flotilla Miniature Frieze
Swallows and Lilies
Xeste 4: Male Figure in Procession

Excavation tour in Akrotiri, Santorini

Also, you will be able to trace the interest of the locals of arts and paintings thru the excavated and restored art materials from Akrotiri such as vessels, furniture, paintings, dresses, utensils, and even painted walls.

Where to Stay in Santorini?
There is not much Santorini accommodation available in Akrotiri. So we want you to find a piece of heaven in Santorini hotels in Oia or Fira instead. But you can always try any of the accommodation offered by other villages in Santorini.

Delfini Hotel

Delfini Hotels in Santorini shares a luxurious setting and accommodation experience in the island. With the architecture and design of the posh complex patterned to the traditional home in Santorini, your stay at Delfini Villas will be the most memorable part of your trip! They have a range of services and facilities available for their lovely guests. Some of our favorite features of the Delfini Villas are a swimming pool by the cave suites, a roof garden where you can watch the Caldera, and a pool bar. They also have wedding planning and flower arrangement service, car rental, transport, babysitting, daily maid service, and currency exchange service is also available here. There's no doubt, Delfini Villas is your one-stop getaway home in Santorini, Greece.

Jacuzzi time with the view of the Caldera!

Best Wineries in Santorini in 2016

Santorini is not only known for its majestic Caldera and quaint traditional houses but also for the unique taste of their local white wine, Assyrtiko. When traveling to Santorini, one must make sure that they have the guts to explore the roots of an ancient and now a successful industry in Santorini. Why not join our wine tour today? And together, let’s unravel the best wineries with the best tasting wines in Santorini in 2016!

Before we even get to our list, do you have your Santorini accommodation setup already? If you’re having a hard time of selecting one out of many Santorini hotels, we have to say, go for Strogili Apartments in Oia! Affordable and stylish traditional houses are two of the many things Strogili Apartments can offer to you. Strogili is located in the heart of Oia village where you have access to restaurants and bars that serve the tasty Santorini wines!

Here's the refreshing view from one of the apartments in Strogili.

SantoWines

Where is it? Pyrgos
Let’s start with the largest and most popular winery in Santorini, the SantoWines. It is located at the edge of Caldera where the luscious Santorini grapes are grown. At least 400,000 visitors drop by the humongous vineyard of SantoWines. You will learn a lot about the history of wine making not only of SantoWines founded in 1992 but also of the origin of wineries in Santorini. The guided tour inside the vicinity of the vineyard says it all. At the end of the tour, you will have the chance to taste the special collection of wines produced by the locals themselves.

SantoWines offers you a romantic viewing of the Aegean Sea.

Art Space Winery

Where is it? Exo Gonia
Museum and winery in one? It’s possible here at the Art Space Winery! This winery located in Exo Gonia has their own museum and art gallery. Yes, that is really unique. No, you don’t need to spend a fortune to be able to afford this tour. The museum has all the “old stuff” from this ancient yet newly-restored winery. One would see exhibit dated back to 1861! From old kettle pot to the basins and an old wine mangle, this operating winery turned into an artist’s hub is your new favorite place in Santorini.

Inside the Art Space Winery in Santorini, Greece.

Estate Argyros

Where is it? Episkopi Gonia
One of the oldest running wineries in Santorini is Estate Argyros. Can you believe that this wine-loving company has been working on a long run of a century already? You heard it! Also, it is one of the very first company to export Santorini wines in US, Europe, and in other parts of the world! If you don’t have the time to travel to Greece for the weekend, a bottle pop of their wine will surely take you in Santorini in no time!

Estate Argyros maintains the traditional way of processing their world-class wines.

The Guide to the Best Beaches in Santorini in 2016

Who would not love to spend their time at the beach in Santorini? Hot sun, fun activities, water sports recreations, and unlimited serving of relish food- ah, this is a scene I wouldn't want to miss when in Santorini. As swimming and island hopping are just two of the things you should not miss doing while in Santorini, we wrote down the best beaches in Santorini in 2016 to serve as a guide for your next summer getaway on the beautiful island. Crystalline clear waters, unique sand with colors of red and black, plus the overall aura at the beach in summer equals major happiness!

Kamari beach 
If the vision and feel of white sand don't excite you anymore, why not try Kamari beach in Santorini? Kamari is superb popular among tourists for it has black sand instead of the usual golden brown or white beaches one would see in Greece. Moreover, Kamari is a fully organized beach which is most recommended for family outings. From hotels to restaurants, there are more than enough establishments to keep you warm in Kamari. Kamari is a pretty resort town especially at night when the water and rock formations are shining right next to you.

Kamari beach

Kamari is located at 10km southeast of Fira. It is also favored by its visitors as the beach is easy to access even when you're driving alone.

Red Beach
After visiting a black beach in the southeast of Fira, let's go 12km southwest away from the main city to witness the awesomeness of the Red Beach! When at Red Beach, one does not simply walk on their bare feet! Here, instead of sand, there are pebbles that'll kiss your toes. The pebbles, as well as the backdrop cliff, are in red color! The Red beach has an organized shore where there are sunbeds and umbrellas to shade you from the heat of the sun. It is relatively accessible via car or bus. Only you will need to walk down the cliff for about two minutes to get to the grounds of Red beach.

Red beach

Monolithos
If you want a more secluded place to hang out in Santorini, you should try Monolithos for once. It is the best as the beach is not crowded most of the time, you can bring your children here, and really, it is the best natural place in Santorini where you can take your kids with you. It is a semi-organized beach as there are hotels nearby. There's also a playground for the kids and the sand is perfect for building castles!

Monolithos beach

Accommodation Tips
Are you checking out Santorini apartments and hotels already for your summer vacation in Santorini? As much as we want to let you savor the experience of a well-researched trip, you should consider this tip, anyway. Golden rule: There're only two places where one should settle in Santorini. Either in the villages near the majestic Caldera or in beach towns that are not too far away from Fira, the main city in Santorini. But still, we would love to go with the accommodations that are close to the Caldera because of the breathtaking scenery it provides- end of the conversation. You can stay in Oia, Fira, Imerovigli, or Firostefani and hop on a bus for a short trip to the beach that you desire to go to.

Nikos Villas features a Cycladic architecture to blend with the breathtaking scenery in Santorini.

Oia hotels, for example, give you a grand view of the Caldera. Nikos Villas is one of the hotels that are worth checking out in Santorini. They will give you a lot of options for accommodation- studio, apartment, and suites. Plus, you will be shown what Greek hospitality is like by their lovely and friendly hotels staffs.

Enjoy your stay at Nikos Villas! Make fun memories!

If you will be in Santorini for the summer, you better head your way to Nikos Villas. The earlier you'll be booking your stay, maybe you'll get discounts for it!

A Safe Haven in Santorini: Golden Sunset Villas and Ancient Thira

The Ancient City of Thira

One of the best places to visit in Santorini is the ruins at Ancient Thira. It is an ancient archaeological site in Mesa Vouno, the neighbouring village of Kamari. Before, the strategic placing of the village only attracted the Spartans to build their own colony. But now, it is a place every Greek value not only for its enduring history but also for the huge role it plays in improving their tourism.

The Ancient Thira: St. Stephen Church

Santorini is a collection of Venitian castles, traditional villages, and admirable churches. But traveling to the Ancient Thira offers every tourist the gift of time traveling. At the site, you'll be glad to be welcomed by the portico, old houses, and collonades in town. Most of the excavations and construction complex found in the site is aged since the Hellenistic and Roman period. Excavations in Ancient Thira revealed relief sculptures from Temenos of Artemidos.

The Arts

Since the Geometric period, the earliest record of arts in Santorini is pottery. This came from the excavated pots in Ancient Thira. The major influencers of the island when it comes to arts is their neighboring island, Naxos. Most of the designs are oriental in origin. Until today, the pots and jars found in the Old Thira are still in good condition, thanks to the traditional preservation or burial of early locals in Thira, we can always look back thru their past by admiring their work of art. There has been a time in the Ancient Thira where the sculpture is famed for after pottery.

The excavation at the Ancient Thira.

The archaeological site of Ancient Thira is open for public viewing everyday except Mondays. The entrance fee is around $5, yes, for that low price you can already look back in one of the most important places in Santorini and in Greece. Ancient Thira is accessible from Chora, from Kamari, or anywhere in the island, really. All you have to do is hop on a bus or a taxi ride will do, ask the driver to drop you off at Mesa Vouno, from there, you can start walking to the classical site of Thira. If you're a bit wary about going alone, you may join group tours or arrange one with other tourists! A tour with a local guide is also available if you want someone narrating the history of the Ancient Thira to you and your friends. But for real, there's no need for you to be afraid in traveling alone Santorini. It's a safe haven where you can enjoy a crime-free environment!

A Safe Haven: The Golden Sunset Villas in Santorini

The Golden Sunset Villas Hotel in Santorini features a unique way to enjoy a relaxing stay in Santorini. For this Santorini accommodation offers you the once in a lifetime chance to live inside a 200-year old, still functioning windmill villas even for a couple of days. Staying at the ancient yet cozy villa would grant your wish to see a broad view of the Caldera as well as the sunset. This windmill home at the Golden Sunset Villas is like no other! Indeed, with a traditional design of Cycladic architecture plus the complete set of facilities and equipment at the hotel makes the Golden Sunset Villas one of the best Santorini apartments in town!

The Windmill Villa at the Golden Sunset Villas Hotel in Santorini.

Art Galleries in Oia, Santorini- Walking Distance from the Hotel

The settlement of Oia in Santorini is famous for its dramatic sunset which everyone enjoys watching. Sunset watching is the number one activity you have to experience when staying in the beautiful island of Santorini. Do you ever wonder if there are other activities the island offers besides sunset watching and swimming at the beach? Of course, there are various things you can accomplish in a day of stay in Oia. Oia is the home of many of the Santorini Hotels, yet you can find little shops and merchandise everywhere! If you're interested in a free day trip at the museum, window shopping, or purchasing exclusive art products and souvenirs, read on and we will unveil these treasure sites to you!

The Mnemossyne Gallery in Oia, Santorini

It's not a typical day-museum. It is actually a shop converted to a museum. The Mnemossyne Gallery is open for public viewing, yet, the store owner doesn't pressure anyone on buying goods from the store. You can find all artsy products here ranging from jewelry, art photography, and homemade memorabilia. If you are looking to buy any cheap products from Santorini to take it home with you, the Mnemossyne Gallery has it for you! The elegant Mnemossyne Gallery is located in the heart of Oia, near most of the Santorini studios around.

The fine Mnemossyne Gallery in Oia, Santorini.

The Oia Treasures Art Gallery in Santorini

Shopping satisfies not only your desires but doing so rewards you a good mood for your entire trip too! The Oia Treasures Art Gallery is only a 5-minute walk from the previous Mnemossyne Gallery. See, shops and galleries in Oia are so much near from each other that you don't need to pay for a taxi to take you from one shopping site to another. Oia Treasures Art Gallery is a perfect place for hardcore art lovers who don't mind paying for a high-class art made by the most awarded Greek artists. You can find and buy elegant sculptures at the gallery that describes more of the culture of Greece, it is truly, worth treasuring.

The elegant exhibit inside of the Oia Treasures Art Gallery.

After a long yet gratifying day of buying the list of your wants and needs, you can take the rest of the day off at your lovely accommodation to critique the goods and art pieces you just bought from the art galleries. The Strogili Apartments in the heart of Oia is one of the most suggested comely places to stay for it is near the Mnemossyne Gallery and Oia Treasure Art Gallery. These aesthetic shops are only a three-minute drive or 15-minute walk from the Strogili Apartments. The Strogili Apartments give you access from nearby shops, restaurants, and attractions too.

A sneak peak of the interior of the suggested hotel in Oia, the Strogili Apartments.

Overall, you should pick the right and most accessible Santorini Hotel for your own convenience. Why? Because it is more practical to have the beautiful sights in Oia more obtainable from your hotel. On top of that, you can enjoy the galleries and attraction in Santorini easily and endlessly!

Oia Santorini hotels - The true romantic experience

A very romantic island, ideal for some time alone with your other half is Santorini. The natural beauty of the island creates majestic scenery in order for you to enjoy the most magical time of your relationship. The great view that you can find in almost every place on the island will take your breath away and a dinner or a sunset will suddenly feel way more sensual.
In order to take the most out of this experience it would be wise to choose your accommodation accordingly. While there are many Santorini apartments offering great quality of accommodation, the best one for you is to go to Oia – a small graphic village which is said to have one of the best sunsets in the world. Oia Santorini hotels can give you exactly this; the opportunity to experience those breathtaking moments away in your own privacy – away from the overcrowded spots.

The romantic village of Oia

But what exactly you should go after? Something that you should definitely not miss is a dinner while staring at the magnificent view. If you want this to be more private and you can afford it, you can rent a private villa or an apartment and cook your own specialty for your loved one. Light some candles, pour some wine on your glasses and from there just let Santorini to do her part. The majestic view, the calmness of the night and the nice fresh wind will create a unique atmosphere which will make you feel like you fall in love for the first time.

The famous sunset of Santorini

Another thing that you should take advantage of is the sunset. It is no secret that sunsets have always been one of the most romantic moments of the day. In Oia the white houses of Cycladic style get little bit orange due to the sun which is disappearing into the blue sea. Those few minutes you can hug your partner and stay in silence getting full by the emotions of the moment. Later on you can have a small walk around the village and explore together the small secrets of Oia.
As far as you accommodation is concerned, there are several of Santorini apartments all around the island that offer a quality stay to their customers. However, what you are looking for is something that will combine not only a pleasurable stay but a good location as well, and Oia is the place that you should look for this.

Nikos Villas in Oia, Santorini

Among the other Oia Santorini hotels, the one that combines everything and can offer you a delightful stay is Nikos Villas. It is built straight on the mountain and it offers breathtaking view from almost every part of the complex. On the same time, the rooms and suites that are offered are luxurious and equipped with all the modern conveniences such as satellite TV and Wi-Fi. Last but not least, the best part of this hotel is that it is built in the classic Santorinian style. This way you will get the true feeling of being on this island 24/7, while you will also get the chance of enjoying the original way of living in Cyclades.
Nonetheless, Santorini can be the true romantic experience for you. Whether you have been together with your loved one for years or just for days, it is certain that this will be a unique experience for you relationship. Santorini apartments in general can offer you great accommodation; on the same time if you choose one of Oia Santorini hotels, you can be sure that you will enjoy the great view of Caldera at any given point of your day. So, just choose Santorini and fall in love again.

Fira Santorini Hotels - The Caldera trip excursion

Santorini is one of the most popular summer destinations; the sun, the blue sea, the amazing view and the high quality services are only some of the reasons why. Once you decide to visit this island though, you should also plan carefully in order to make sure that you will get the most out of this experience. Apart from the practical things, like which one of the many Santorini rooms you will book, you should also schedule all of the attractions and places that you would like to visit in order to make sure that you will have enough time for all of them. In that case it would be really helpful if you stay in one of Fira Santorini hotels as you will be in the best location and you will only need a small amount of time in order to go anywhere on the island.

View of Caldera in Santorini

A wise choice regarding the attractions is to buy a Caldera trip excursion. This way you will manage to visit many important sights of Santorini in a very short amount of time while on the same time you will be able to enjoy the blue sea and the sun during the whole day. You will just relax on the deck of a boat and you will let the sea wind to pet your face, while going around enjoying the natural beauties of the island. First stop of your trip will be the active volcano of Sanotrini. After taking a look around you can swim in the hot springs of Palia Kameni, an experience which will be nonetheless refreshing, as well as healthy due the sulfur that the water there contains. Next on the menu is Thirasia, in which you will have a long enough stay in order to swim, visit Manolas and to have some lunch. In the end you will end up to the graphical village of Oia where you can either stay and have a longer visit or you can take the boat and return back to Fira. With an all-day trip like this one you can manage to visit all those different areas and get a good first taste of what Santorini is about. Alternatively, you can do this trip around the middle of our staying in Santorini in order to break the everyday routine of your vacation.

Concerning your accommodation, there many different Fira rooms that you can choose from. This is ideal as you can make sure that in the end of the day you will go back to rest to the place that best suits your needs and taste.

Afrodete Hotel in Fira, Santorini

Among the other Fira Santorini hotels, Afrodete hotel is the one that shines. The reason is that it provides high quality services in facilities in quite affordable prices. First thing that should be mentioned is that it has a great location which can be translated into a magnificent view of the Aegean Sea, as well as fast and easy transportation around the whole island. Furthermore it is built in the traditional style, painted in white and blue colors; this way you will get the chance to enjoy an original Santorinian accommodation and get the feeling of getting closer to the island. Last but not least, if you enjoy the modern comforts you will be glad to know that the hotel offers air-conditioning, wi-fi, as well as a large outdoor Jacuzzi.

Room with spectacular view in Afrodete Hotel

When deciding to visit Santorini you should just have in your mind that while it is a small island, it has many different attractions for someone to visit. This is why it is important that you will choose wisely which one of Fira rooms you will book, as being in the correct location will define how much time you will need to reach the place that you want to visit. Furthermore, you should definitely go on the Caldera trip; while it is little bit tiring it is worth it as it will make one of your days there special, while on the same time in the end of the day you can get back to your Fira Santorini hotels and relax, getting away all the stress and tiredness of the day.